Does the perfect quiet blender exist?
July 7, 2015 8:59 PM Subscribe
I'm looking for a special blender: powerful enough for ice crushing and smoothie making, glass jar (no "BPA free plastic"!), and as quiet as possible - I'd like to be able to attach a stainless steel smoothie cup to it as well so I don't have to clean two dirty smoothie-encrusted things. I would like to make smoothies after 630pm when my kids go to sleep without making the biggest ruckus ever. I'd also like for it to look nice. It doesn't have to be large. Does my blender exist?
I'm not really sure how it could be quiet. A really good blender, like a Vitamix, isn't especially loud when it's run empty and on a lowish speed. But if you throw some ice in there, it'll wake up the neighbors. But the noise is coming from the blades, not the motor. I think anything that crushes ice vigorously and well, which is what you need if you want a smooth smoothie, is going to be loud. Some might be a bit louder than others, but they're still going to be pretty loud.
It might be a bit absurd but is there somewhere else you can do your smoothie preparation? Garage or basement maybe? All you really need is an electric outlet; you can carry the jar to it already filled up, run the blender, then carry it back to the kitchen afterwards.
posted by Kadin2048 at 9:30 PM on July 7, 2015 [2 favorites]
It might be a bit absurd but is there somewhere else you can do your smoothie preparation? Garage or basement maybe? All you really need is an electric outlet; you can carry the jar to it already filled up, run the blender, then carry it back to the kitchen afterwards.
posted by Kadin2048 at 9:30 PM on July 7, 2015 [2 favorites]
Best answer: I'm not sure it exists. The more powerful blenders, the ones that blend ice really well, including the two really expensive ones mentioned above, all have plastic jars with the blades permanently fixed to the bottoms. Like every single one.
I have the Sweethome pick Oster Versa, which is not that quiet but not too bad and makes great smoothies. The Waring Commercial Xtreme is available with a steel jar, but it brings the price up to $600 and I don't think it's that quiet.
The quiet commercial blenders are only quiet because they're encased in a box to muffle the noise... maybe you could make a box for a regular blender? And you might want to rethink the no-plastic requirement if you want a really quality blender that'll last under heavy use.
posted by Huck500 at 9:39 PM on July 7, 2015 [1 favorite]
I have the Sweethome pick Oster Versa, which is not that quiet but not too bad and makes great smoothies. The Waring Commercial Xtreme is available with a steel jar, but it brings the price up to $600 and I don't think it's that quiet.
The quiet commercial blenders are only quiet because they're encased in a box to muffle the noise... maybe you could make a box for a regular blender? And you might want to rethink the no-plastic requirement if you want a really quality blender that'll last under heavy use.
posted by Huck500 at 9:39 PM on July 7, 2015 [1 favorite]
Nothing strong enough to crush ice on your countertop will be as quiet as you want it to be. Even the quietest vitamix sounds like a chainsaw murder at close range (screaming optional).
posted by poffin boffin at 9:56 PM on July 7, 2015
posted by poffin boffin at 9:56 PM on July 7, 2015
Response by poster: Sorry, I should be clear, I want it to be able to crush ice, but I am very aware that crushing ice will never be quiet. I was just hoping making a smoothie with yogurt and pieces of fruit could be quiet (I can add ice cubes once the smoothie is made). Yes, right now I am bringing the blender out to the porch or the basement.
posted by treehorn+bunny at 10:01 PM on July 7, 2015
posted by treehorn+bunny at 10:01 PM on July 7, 2015
Yeah if you have the counter space I would just get a muffle box for one. I'm sure you could pad it even more. A quick google came up with this. http://www.whisperblend.com
Searching for blender housing brings up similar ones. We used them when I worked at an ice cream shop. They're a bit pricy but worth it for you I imagine.
posted by Crystalinne at 11:20 PM on July 7, 2015 [2 favorites]
Searching for blender housing brings up similar ones. We used them when I worked at an ice cream shop. They're a bit pricy but worth it for you I imagine.
posted by Crystalinne at 11:20 PM on July 7, 2015 [2 favorites]
A vintage beehive Osterizer might come fairly close to meeting your noise and power requirements because their motors are much heavier than the motors of modern blenders and also operate at much lower RPMs -- and all the original jars were glass, including an ~8oz. minijar that takes a mason jar lid.
The model I believe would be best for you is the chrome plated beehive two speed Deluxe with a dial rather than a push button speed selector, and with a power rating somewhere between 450 and 525 Watts depending on the year of manufacture.
The motors of the ten or so I've bought over the years have been in quite good shape except in a couple of cases for the brushes, but I wouldn't be comfortable sending you to buy one except from a dealer in vintage appliances who knows how to check the brushes and also how to align the motor within the case to keep the blender as quiet as possible, which I've found to be tricky.
I'm sure you could find a nice-looking one on eBay, but then I really do think you'd need someone to look at the brushes, the alignment, and the power cord.
posted by jamjam at 11:38 PM on July 7, 2015
The model I believe would be best for you is the chrome plated beehive two speed Deluxe with a dial rather than a push button speed selector, and with a power rating somewhere between 450 and 525 Watts depending on the year of manufacture.
The motors of the ten or so I've bought over the years have been in quite good shape except in a couple of cases for the brushes, but I wouldn't be comfortable sending you to buy one except from a dealer in vintage appliances who knows how to check the brushes and also how to align the motor within the case to keep the blender as quiet as possible, which I've found to be tricky.
I'm sure you could find a nice-looking one on eBay, but then I really do think you'd need someone to look at the brushes, the alignment, and the power cord.
posted by jamjam at 11:38 PM on July 7, 2015
Not specifically a blender expert, but I have bought a fair amount of vintage secondhand kitchen stuff both online and at thrift stores, estate sales, etc.
If you decide to go with jamjam's advice, this one shows all the usual signs of having been taken good care of and not used much.
posted by box at 4:57 AM on July 8, 2015 [1 favorite]
If you decide to go with jamjam's advice, this one shows all the usual signs of having been taken good care of and not used much.
posted by box at 4:57 AM on July 8, 2015 [1 favorite]
Whatever brand you get, operate it on a thick neoprene/foam pad. Our coffee grinder goes from AIR RAID SIREN!!!!1!! to vmmmmm … that way.
Older, slower blenders may be quieter, but they have to run longer, so the annoyance can be about the same.
posted by scruss at 5:48 AM on July 8, 2015 [1 favorite]
Older, slower blenders may be quieter, but they have to run longer, so the annoyance can be about the same.
posted by scruss at 5:48 AM on July 8, 2015 [1 favorite]
I find the personal blenders way more quiet. My sisters both have one and I'm always amazed at how much quieter theirs is. I can't remember what brand but it only holds about 18 oz.
posted by Aranquis at 7:10 AM on July 8, 2015
posted by Aranquis at 7:10 AM on July 8, 2015
I run my blendtec daily in the AM, but occasionally plan on having something in the evening.
In those cases, I'll blend the high-RPM stuff like kale earlier in the day, pour it into a glass jar, and add in softer items later, to be blended with a bamix stick blender.
posted by Jack Karaoke at 7:58 AM on July 8, 2015
In those cases, I'll blend the high-RPM stuff like kale earlier in the day, pour it into a glass jar, and add in softer items later, to be blended with a bamix stick blender.
posted by Jack Karaoke at 7:58 AM on July 8, 2015
If you have an ice crusher on the freezer, you can pre-crush the ice for less time in the blender. You could even consider making smoothies ahead of time, freezing them, then blending with cold water, for a much quieter blend. Muffler box would help, even just a piece of yoga matting under the blender will help. Those motors need their ventilation, so keep that in mind.
posted by theora55 at 9:12 AM on July 8, 2015
posted by theora55 at 9:12 AM on July 8, 2015
Since the main issue is not waking kids, can you play music or other white noise to minimize the blender sounds? Also, close the door if you can.
posted by theora55 at 9:13 AM on July 8, 2015
posted by theora55 at 9:13 AM on July 8, 2015
Any old blender in a blender enclosure(god that was a terrible snail trail of google searches. blender cover? blender hood?).
My friend had almost the same blendtec as me but with one of those. It was literally 1/4 as loud if not even quieter. It took it from top fuel dragster BWAAAAAAAAAAAA to like, dremmel level "vweeeee" with some low level white noise crunching.
The real good ones will bolt the lid to your counter, and then you'll set the blender on some sort of neoprene or suspended surface to isolate vibration.
posted by emptythought at 6:29 PM on July 8, 2015
My friend had almost the same blendtec as me but with one of those. It was literally 1/4 as loud if not even quieter. It took it from top fuel dragster BWAAAAAAAAAAAA to like, dremmel level "vweeeee" with some low level white noise crunching.
The real good ones will bolt the lid to your counter, and then you'll set the blender on some sort of neoprene or suspended surface to isolate vibration.
posted by emptythought at 6:29 PM on July 8, 2015
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The quietest blenders costs an arm. two legs, and a certain other organ. Blendtec Stealth, allegedly the quietest blender on the market, is about $1400 (yes, ONE THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED) MSRP. The VitaMix ones are still about $800.
Any cheaper, and it'll likely be plastic cup, not glass.
posted by kschang at 9:12 PM on July 7, 2015 [2 favorites]